Digital NHS and AI

In the 1980s, I completed courses on using computers. Back then, we were told that computer literacy would become a key skill  and classified as essential in the same way as reading, writing and arithmetic. 

I would like to see the government fund or subsidise computer literacy and smartphone courses in libraries, local colleges and schools, to teach adults who for whatever reason have missed out. In my own area, courses such as these have been taking place for years. 

NHS services online are working very well in my area. I can order prescriptions online or through the app. The app also notifies me of upcoming hospital appointments, and blood results.

In the 1980s, I completed courses on using computers. Back then, we were told that computer literacy would become a key skill  and classified as essential in the same way as reading, writing and arithmetic. 

I would like to see the government fund or subsidise computer literacy and smartphone courses in libraries, local colleges and schools, to teach adults who for whatever reason have missed out. In my own area, courses such as these have been taking place for years. 

NHS services online are working very well in my area. I can order prescriptions online or through the app. The app also notifies me of upcoming hospital appointments, and blood results.

That's great if you have a smartphone, and I hope it continues for you, but I would not like to see them assume everyone has a smartphone.  I don’t have one and don’t want one.  If I want to use a computer I have this one in the house.  I am seldom anywhere else.

I do not have any kind of phone as I cannot cope with the unexpected and every call with unknown people is unexpected.  It is making life very difficult.  “AskMyDoctor” which my surgery uses no longer works for me because I haven’t a phone number to give it.  Fortunately the surgery allow me to use email.  I can do email because it is not in “real-time”.

We had a woman who'd go round libraries teaching smart phone and basic computer skills, I went to see her and she was absolutely useless! I wanted help to buy one as I've no idea where to start, they all seem equally confusing, she started with the usual spiel about Apple or Android, I know one is apple and the other google and thats all I know about the difference, so her solution was to go to a shop and ask their advice, she was totally flumoxed by the idea that these are sales people and thier job is to sell you the most expensive phone in the shop. She also couldn't get her head around me being ND or having memory problems, she didn't want to talk to me, it was like she had a set program that she was going to use regardless of who was sat in front of her. 

I've tried smart phones for dummies and didn't get on with that, it seemed to thnk everyone wants to be on FB and other social media platforms and obviously can't tell you anything about things like local NHS app's.

Like I say, I'm glad I live in Wales where there's less of this stuff being foisted on us, maybe it's partly an acknowlegement that Wales is mostly very rural with hills, forests and mountains that don't allow signals to travel very well.

A lot of this has started since covid, changes that would have taken a decade or more to come along are being hurried along leaving many behind, not just with skills but infrastructure too.